Bipasha Basu posts pic of little girls tying her shoelaces on Twitter. The pic has met with overwhelming outrage.

PS: Basu says of the girls in question, one's a sister, the other a friend. But who's buying it?

There is outrage over a snapshot Bipasha Basu posted on her micro-blogging site on Monday.

The actress displayed a picture of her feet with two young girls bending over to tie her shoelaces.

She wrote, "I need to learn to tie shoe laces ASAP! Embarassed that I can't! No patience.. grrrrr! Promise I am not spoilt! Will learn soon, " and tagged it with the picture.

This was followed by a barrage of comments about child labour.

Under fire, Bips hastily deleted the tweet but forgot to erase the picture as well. It was only later that the photo went missing from her micro-blogging site.



The picture posted on Twitter that got Bipasha in trouble

'Sorry y'all!'

She later tweeted, "Well the people helping me in the pix are my friend and sister, who I help often with the same! So am sorry if it hurt anyone's sentiments!"

But since when did Bips have such a small girl as her sister. She has two sisters who are grown-up " Bijoyeeta is married with a kid while the other Bidisha is studying abroad.



Bipasha with sisters Bijoyeeta and Bidisha

What the Child Labour act says

Bipasha Basu could face serious charges. The Indian Child Labour act says law breakers could face one month to 12 months in jail. According to Article 24 of the Indian constitution, "No child below the age of 14 years shall be employed to work."

Law breakers punishment (Section-14)
(1) Rs. 10, 000/- to Rs. 20, 000/- fine and
(2) One month to 12 month jail.

The responses that Bipasha's snap evoked...
"No child labour."
"Are they two kids ? I think it's child labour??"
"Awww..didn't expect this from you people follow you for ur good work"
"Oh God, people should just chill out. Like you guys wouldn't do her laces! I god damn would! Lol."
"Look at those children. You should be shameful for supporting her"
"What are you trying to tell us from this. I never thought you were such a....I admired you I should slap myself"
"What the f**k is this....having money is not the thing you... you should hav common sense."
"OMG !!!!!!"
"Bipasha should be arrested for this act. Only then these film studios will not do any child labour"
"Disgraceful Bips.... cannot believe you are dumb enough to add this photo on Twitter!"
"Miss Basu it looks like child labour even though I suppose not.."
"Inform the child labour protection act?... LOL, I guess Bips went to school on slippers"
"This is how we treat fellow Indians. Shame on you Bipasha. Unfollowed you shameless!"

What Big B said...
When someone tweeted the Bipasha Basu pic to Amitabh Bachchan. This is what the Big B had to say: @Bharat_Hyd and why would you assume that these are a film stars feet..!!

Paris, too
A while back Paris Hilton was also involved in a similar situation when she had put up a tweet pic of a young girl massaging her legs. After an uproar, she had apologised.

The Other Side

What Bipasha says...
"The picture was taken at my home. The pair of boots are a difficult pair so my sister and my friend were helping me and I thought it looked damn funny and took the picture as a joke!

Don't we girls help each other while getting ready with dress, make up, hair shoes etc? Is it something new or unheard of? A picture put for fun and humour got picked up by people as 'child labour' is absolutely unbelievable.

Just so that all get it right: neither of the two are children. Also 'child labour' is a serious issue that can't be used in such a light connotation. I wish that the ones who created such a furore and reacted immediately, actually do something worthy against child labour."